When surfaces become contaminated with bacteria, fungi, yeasts, viruses, or other microorganisms (sometimes referred to as microbes), sickness (morbidity) and, sometimes, death (mortality) may result. This can be particularly true when surfaces in food processing plants and healthcare facilities (e.g., hospitals) become contaminated with microorganisms.
In food processing plants, surfaces (e.g., solid surfaces, equipment surfaces, protective clothing, etc.) may become contaminated. Such contamination may be caused by or transferred to meat or other foods. Such microbial contamination and/or transfer in certain environments may pose significant health risks. For example, the food that leaves a contaminated food processing plant will subsequently be eaten. Furthermore, foods grown, purchased and consumed by the general population may contain or acquire microorganisms, which can flourish or grow as a function of the environment in which they are located. This growth may lead to accelerated spoilage of the food product or to the proliferation of pathogenic organisms, which may produce toxins and/or cause infection.
In healthcare facilities, microorganisms may be released onto surfaces (e.g., solid surfaces, equipment surfaces, clothing, etc.) from infected individuals or otherwise. Once a surface becomes contaminated with microorganisms, contact with the contaminated surface may easily and readily transfer microorganisms to other locations, such as another surface, an individual, equipment, food, or the like. In addition, some of the patients of such facilities suffer from infections by pathogenic microbes and, thus, bring the pathogenic microbes into such facilities. Such microbial contamination and/or transfer can be particularly troublesome because many of those who are present in such facilities (e.g., patients) are sick and may be immunologically compromised. Such individuals therefore have an increased risk of becoming sick from infection by the contaminating microbes.